1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to. a table tennis apparatus for projecting table tennis balls towards one playing surface on the side of a player from a ball projecting section disposed rearward of the other playing surface of a table.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a table tennis apparatus of this type, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3017687 has been proposed. Such a conventional table tennis apparatus includes a table having a net stretched on the center thereof, a ball projecting section that is disposed on the rearward of one playing surface (a playing surface on the side of a machine) and that projects table tennis balls sequentially towards the other surface (a playing surface on the side of a player), wherein a plurality of optical sensors each having a light emitting element and a light receiving element are opposingly arranged on the left and right of the playing surface on the machine side along a longitudinal direction thereof, while a drop position of the ball returned by the player on the machine-side playing surface is detected by the optical sensors, and a score corresponding to the position is given to the player, the result of a training thereby being displayed by a specific numeral value.
The above conventional table tennis apparatus includes the ball projecting section disposed at the center position in the lateral direction relative to the playing surface, and an oscillating mechanism, so that balls can be aimed at both corners of the table, in addition to being straight in the longitudinal direction, thus enabling high-level training.
The construction of the ball projecting section of the table tennis apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-22229 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-7264.
According to the above conventional table tennis apparatus, since the ball projecting section is fixed to the center position in the lateral direction relative to the playing surface on the machine side, balls can simply be delivered by the oscillating mechanism from the center position to the left and right of the playing surface on the player side, and only a drop position of the ball on the playing surface on the machine side in the longitudinal direction is detected by the optical sensors to give a predetermined score to the player. Therefore, various modes of actual competitive play cannot be reproduced, resulting in limited applicability to training which is in touch with actual competitive play and to a table tennis game.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a table tennis apparatus which can enhance the result of training by making it possible to realize a mode which is closer to actual competitive play, and which is suitable for a table tennis game.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a table tennis apparatus including a ball projecting section disposed rearward of a table for projecting balls towards a playing surface on the side of a player; a moving mechanism for allowing the ball projecting section to be moved laterally; a detecting unit for detecting which side the balls have been returned in the lateral direction; and a driving and controlling unit for driving the moving mechanism according to the direction detected by the detecting unit in which the balls have been returned, and for moving the ball projecting section to the side where the balls have been returned.
With the described arrangements, balls are projected from the ball projecting section disposed rearward of the table towards the playing surface on the player side, and the lateral direction of the ball returned from the player side is detected by the detecting unit. The moving mechanism is actuated according to the direction detected by the detecting unit, and the ball projecting section is moved laterally. Therefore, a mode which is closer to actual competitive play can be realized. In addition, it is possible to efficiently enhance the result of training when the table tennis apparatus of the present invention is used for training of table tennis. Furthermore, the table tennis apparatus becomes very interesting when used for a table tennis game.
In the table tennis apparatus of the present invention,. the table may include a playing surface on the side of a machine, and the ball projecting section may be disposed rearward of the playing surface on the side of the machine.
With the described arrangements, balls are projected from the ball projecting section disposed rearward of the playing surface on the machine side. Therefore, it is possible to realize a mode which is further closer to actual competitive play.
In the table tennis apparatus of the present invention, the moving mechanism may include a guide rail disposed along a lateral direction, and a base having the ball projecting section mounted thereon, and slidably disposed on the guide rail.
With the described arrangement, the ball projecting section can be moved with a simple construction according to a drop position of the ball.
In the table tennis apparatus of the present invention, the driving and controlling unit allows the ball projecting section to be moved in the direction of at least three predetermined positions at the center, left, and right in the lateral direction.
With the described arrangement, the ball projecting section may be moved by the driving and controlling unit in the direction of at least three predetermined positions at the center, left, and right in the lateral direction, so that a mode which is further closer to actual competitive play can be realized.
In the table tennis apparatus of the present invention, the driving and controlling unit may include a sensor for detecting the location of the ball projecting section on the center position.
With the described arrangement, the ball projecting section can be positively returned to the center position even if it is moved leftward or rightward.
In the table tennis apparatus of the present invention, the ball projecting section may include an oscillating mechanism.
With the described arrangement, it is possible to project balls towards both corners of the table, in addition to being straight in the longitudinal direction.
In the table tennis apparatus of the present invention, a ball hopper may be disposed above said ball projecting section, and the ball hopper and the ball projecting section may be connected by a flexible tube having a diameter that is capable of having balls passed therethrough.
With the described arrangements, it is possible to move only the ball projecting section with the ball hopper held fixed, thereby simplifying the construction of the moving mechanism.